Ch 9 Discursive Psychology Flashcards
What was the shift in focus during the “Turn to Language”?
The shift was from individual intentions to the productive potential of language, which began to be seen as constructing versions of social reality and achieving social objectives.
What disciplines influenced psychology’s turn to language?
Philosophy, communication theory, history, and sociology—particularly the works of Wittgenstein, Austen’s speech theory, and Foucault’s studies of discursive practices.
What were some key critiques of cognitivism according to Potter and Wetherell (1987)?
Talk is not simply a route to cognition, 2) Cognition is not always based on perception, 3) Objective perception of reality is questionable, 4) There aren’t consensual objects of thought, 5) Cognitive structures aren’t necessarily enduring.
How do cognitive psychologists and discourse analysts differ in their view of language?
Cognitive psychologists see language as a way to express and access internal cognitions (thoughts, beliefs). Discourse analysts view language as a social action, where meaning is shaped by social context and participants’ goals in conversation.
Why is social context important in discourse analysis?
In discourse analysis, what people say is shaped by their social context, e.g., disclaiming undesirable identities like “sexist” in certain situations. People’s responses aim to achieve social objectives, like managing how they are perceived.
What does discourse analysis emphasise about speech?
Speech is seen as social action aimed at accomplishing something in conversation, not simply reflecting internal thoughts. People’s attitudes may vary across different social contexts depending on the stakes involved.
How do cognitive psychologists view cognitions in relation to reality?
Cognitions are mental representations of real-world objects, events, and processes, even if they simplify or distort them. These representations help interpret new experiences and are seen as attempts to capture reality.
What is the discourse analytic stance on representations of reality?
Discourse analysts argue that reality is constructed through language, not represented. There’s no objective perception of reality; meaning is negotiated and constructed through social interaction and discourse.
How do cognitive psychologists explain errors in perception, and how do discourse analysts respond?
Cognitive psychologists attribute errors in perception to biases or heuristics, while discourse analysts argue that perceptions are constructed through language, so the idea of an objective reality is flawed.
What is the cognitive perspective on attitudes and attribution theory?
Attitudes describe evaluations of social objects, and attribution theory focuses on how people explain events. The cognitive approach assumes that the objects themselves are consensual (i.e., everyone agrees on what the object is, but disagrees on why it happens or if it is good or bad).
How do discourse analysts view attitudes and attributions?
Discourse analysts argue that social objects are constructed through language. People’s attitudes and attributions reflect how they discursively construct the object or event, rather than differing views on a stable, consensual object.
How would discourse analysts explain different accounts of the breakup of the Soviet Union?
If framed as a result of economic processes, it’s attributed to global economic factors. If framed as a victory in the Cold War, it’s attributed to US political strategies. The object itself is constructed differently through language, not just the attitudes towards it.
What is the role of cognitive structures in cognitivism?
Cognitivism assumes that stable cognitive structures (like beliefs and attitudes) exist in the mind and remain predictable over time. Changes in these structures are explained by external variables like new experiences or persuasive messages.
How does discourse analysis challenge the concept of stable cognitive structures?
Discourse analysis argues that people’s accounts and views are context-dependent, shaped by the discursive situation. Speech acts (e.g., justifying, excusing) reveal what people are doing with language, not underlying stable cognitive structures.
How is discourse analysis more than just a research method?
Discourse analysis critiques mainstream psychology, offering an alternative way to conceptualize language and psychological phenomena. It focuses on the productive nature of discourse and the construction of social reality through language.
What are the two main versions of discourse analysis in qualitative psychology?
Discursive Psychology (DP) and Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA). DP focuses on local interaction and how language is used to achieve interpersonal objectives, while FDA is concerned with how discourse constructs subjectivity, selfhood, and power relations.
What intellectual traditions inspire Discursive Psychology and Foucauldian discourse?
DP is inspired by ethno-methodology and conversation analysis, focusing on everyday interactions. FDA is influenced by Foucault and post-structuralism, focusing on how language shapes social and psychological life.
What does discursive psychology focus on?
DP studies discursive practices, emphasising what people do with language in social interactions. It is concerned with how language is used to manage social interactions and achieve interpersonal goals (e.g., justifying actions, attributing blame).
What is Foucauldian discourse analysis concerned with?
FDA focuses on the discursive resources available to people, exploring how discourse constructs subjectivity and power relations. It examines how different discourses shape people’s identity and experiences.
What kind of research questions do Discursive Psychology and Foucauldian discourse analysis address?
DP asks how language is used to negotiate and manage social interactions. FDA seeks to critique discursive worlds, exploring the implications for subjectivity and experience, such as what it means to be positioned as a particular social identity (e.g., asylum seeker).
When was discursive psychology introduced, and by whom?
Discursive psychology (DP) was introduced by Potter and Wetherell in 1987 with their publication Discourse in Social Psychology, Beyond Attitudes and Behaviour. The term ‘discursive psychology’ was later provided by Edwards and Potter in 1992.
How has discursive psychology evolved?
DP has increasingly emphasised the flexibility of discursive resources and the use of naturalistic data sources. It has drawn closer to conversation analysis (CA), focusing on the fine detail of talk in everyday interactions.
What is conversation analysis, and how is it related to Discursive Psychology?
CA studies how talk is structured and organised, documenting rules and practices in everyday interactions. It has influenced DP, and the boundary between DP and CA has become blurred, as both now focus on naturally occurring data.
What type of data does discursive psychology prioritise?
DP focuses on naturally occurring data, meaning conversations that would have happened anyway without researcher intervention, aiming to understand common features of talk in interaction.
How does Discursive psychology conceptualise psychological phenomena like memory and identity?
DP treats psychological phenomena such as memory and identity as discursive actions, not cognitive processes. These concepts are something people do in social interactions, rather than something they have.
What are discursive strategies in Discursive psychology?
DP examines how participants manage issues of stake and interest in conversations. Strategies include disclaiming, footing, using metaphors, extreme case formulations, and graphic descriptions.
How is disclaiming used to manage a social identity in Discursive psychology?
An example of disclaiming: A person might say, “I am not racist, but I think immigration control should be strengthened,” managing a potentially undesirable identity while justifying their stance by referring to a higher authority (e.g., the Prime Minister).
How does Discursive psychology critique mainstream psychology?
DP emerged as a critique of cognitivism in mainstream psychology. It re-examines psychological concepts like attitudes, memory, and prejudice through a discursive lens, challenging traditional assumptions about these concepts.
What has Discursive psychology contributed to understanding psychological constructs?
DP has respecified psychological constructs like identity and prejudice, viewing them as shared discursive practices rather than internal cognitive processes.
Has Discursive psychology continued to challenge mainstream psychology?
Over time, DP has become more incorporated into mainstream psychology. While it offers an alternative way of understanding human behavior, it has ceased to challenge the discipline as radically as it initially did.
Why does discursive psychology prefer naturally occurring texts and talk?
Discursive psychology is concerned with how people manage accountability and stake in everyday life, which is best explored through unsolicited conversations in familiar settings (e.g., home, workplace).
What are examples of naturally occurring data used in discourse analysis?
Examples include telephone conversations, police interviews, medical consultations, radio interviews, and counselling sessions.
What is a drawback of using semi-structured interviews in discourse analysis?
Semi-structured interviews often reveal how participants manage their stake as interviewees, rather than showing discursive strategies in everyday life. Researchers must also analyse both interviewers and interviewees comments.
Why might group discussions be preferable for data generation?
Group discussions, especially with pre-existing groups (friends, colleagues), can stimulate more natural conversations, making participants more relaxed and spontaneous.
What are the challenges of interviewing friends in discourse analysis?
Interviewing friends can lead to challenging dynamics and may result in reappraisals of each other, complicating the interview process.
How time-consuming is transcription, and what transcription style is often used in discourse analysis?
Transcribing can take at least 10 hours for a one-hour interview. A reduced transcription style known as Jefferson-lite is often used, which retains key features like pauses, interruptions, and emphasis.
Why are non-linguistic aspects important in transcription?
Non-linguistic cues like tone of voice, delays, and emphasis affect the meaning of what is said, such as detecting irony.
What influences sample size in discourse analysis?
Sample size is influenced by time constraints and the specific research question. Researchers often work with smaller samples but can still produce meaningful analyses with limited data.
What is the “specimen perspective” in conversation analysis?
The “specimen perspective” focuses on identifying typical rather than exceptional material from a vast pool of data, aiming to find common patterns.
When might a single text be the focus of discourse analysis?
A single text may be analysed when the goal is to understand how it achieves its effect, such as with a political speech, advertising campaign, or movie scene.
How does discourse analysis conceptualise language?
Discourse analysis views language as constructive and functional, asking what discourse is doing rather than focusing solely on what it is saying.
What kind of orientation does discourse analysis require towards talk and text?
Discourse analysis requires a focus on talk and text as social action, analysing what the text is doing rather than just interpreting its meaning.
Can discourse analysis be learned quickly like a recipe?
No, discourse analysis involves craft skills and tacit knowledge. It cannot be learned quickly or followed like a strict method but requires deep understanding of its theoretical framework.
Why is the theoretical approach important in discourse analysis?
Discourse analysis must be grounded in a theoretical understanding of the nature of discourse and its role in social life before analysing texts.
What guidelines exist for novice discourse analysts?
Leading discourse analysts like Potter and Wetherell and Billig provide procedural guides, but caution against following them too rigidly as discourse analysis depends on flexible craft skills.
What do authors caution against in discourse analysis?
Authors like Antaki et al. and Huma et al. advise against following procedural guidelines too rigidly, as discourse analysis requires adaptability and theoretical insight.
How many stages do Potter and Wetherell identify for discourse analysis?
Potter and Wetherell identify ten stages in discourse analysis, offering a structured approach, but with the reminder to remain flexible.
What is the first step in analysing discourse transcripts?
The researcher must read the transcripts carefully without attempting any analysis. This allows the researcher to experience the discursive effects of the text.
Why is it important to read the transcript before analysis?
Reading before analysis helps the researcher become aware of what the text is doing, such as conveying an apology or creating a certain atmosphere.
What is the purpose of reading before analysis?
The purpose is to recognise how the text accomplishes certain effects and to prepare for identifying the mechanisms used during the formal analysis.
Why should researchers listen to recordings alongside transcripts?
Listening to recordings helps confirm instances of tone, irony, or sarcasm that may not be fully captured by the transcription.
When should recordings be revisited during analysis?
Researchers should revisit recordings when they suspect the transcription does not capture the full tone or nuance of the original speech.
What is the purpose of coding in discourse analysis?
Coding selects relevant material from transcripts based on the research question, identifying text that will be analysed in detail.
How is coding guided by the research question?
The research question determines what material is relevant for analysis. All sections directly, indirectly, or vaguely related to the question are included.
Are keywords necessary for selecting material during coding?
No, implicit constructions and references, even without specific keywords, must be included if they relate to the research question.
What should be included during the coding process?
Ensure all potentially relevant material is included, even if the connection to the research question is indirect or vague.
Does coding capture all aspects of a discourse?
No, coding focuses on specific aspects related to the research question, leaving other discourse elements unanalysed. The material can be reanalysed for further insights
What questions should researchers ask during discourse analysis according to Potter and Wetherell?
Researchers should ask, “Why am I reading this passage in this way?” and “What features of the text produce this reading?”
What five key questions should guide discourse analysis according to Huma et al. (2020)?
- What actions are being performed and how?
- What version of the world is being constructed and by whom?
- What are the upshots of this depiction?
- What is at stake, and how are those stakes managed?
- How is the phenomenon of interest constructed?
What are the constructive and functional dimensions in discourse analysis?
The analysis focuses on how the text constructs objects and subjects, how constructions vary across contexts, and the consequences of these constructions.
What are interpretive repertoires in discourse analysis?
Interpretive repertoires are systems of terms used to construct different versions of events. They may vary across contexts and be used for different social objectives.
Example: Imagine two people discussing the same protest. One person describes the protesters as “freedom fighters” while the other calls them “lawbreakers.” Both are using different interpretive repertoires—one emphasizing the protesters’ fight for rights, and the other highlighting their violation of the law. These different repertoires construct contrasting versions of the same event.
What is the role of action orientation in discourse analysis?
Researchers must trace the action orientation of accounts by analysing how accounts are produced and their consequences within the conversation’s context.
• Example: In a job interview, when someone says, “I always go above and beyond at work,” they may be trying to position themselves as a hardworking, reliable employee (the action orientation). The interviewer might also respond in a way that shows whether they accept or challenge that identity. The action orientation helps you see what each speaker is trying to accomplish through their words.
Why is variability important in discourse analysis?
Variability across contexts reveals how different repertoires are used to achieve rhetorical objectives. The context helps understand why certain themes are deployed.
• Example: A person might talk about the importance of saving money when discussing their personal finances but switch to encouraging spending when discussing government policies during a recession. The variability in how the person talks about money across different contexts (personal vs. government) helps us see how their language shifts depending on the situation.
What do tensions and contradictions in interpretive repertoires indicate?
They show that discursive resources are dilemmatic, containing contrary themes that can be pitted against each other in different contexts.
Example: A parent might say, “I want my kids to be independent, but I also feel the need to protect them.” These two contradictory repertoires—independence vs. protection—reflect the dilemmatic nature of their thinking. In different situations, they might emphasise one idea over the other.
Why have interpretive repertoires been criticised in contemporary research?
They have been criticised for not accommodating the complexity and variability of human interaction, making it hard to delineate specific repertoires.
• Example: If someone’s speech constantly shifts—one minute they talk about environmentalism, and the next about business profits—it can be difficult to neatly classify their statements into distinct repertoires. This criticism argues that real-life talk is often too complex and fluid to be broken down into simple interpretive categories.
What is a key focus limitation of discursive psychology?
Discursive psychology focuses exclusively on discourse, analysing how it is constructed, its functions, and consequences, without addressing mental states or cognitive processes.
What critique did Langdridge offer about discursive psychology?
Langdridge criticised discursive psychology for its “lack of a person,” meaning it overlooks individual subjectivity, like memory, identity, or emotions, and focuses only on how these are negotiated in discourse.
How does discursive psychology treat psychological concepts like memory and identity?
It examines how people negotiate the meaning of psychological concepts through discourse rather than addressing these phenomena as internal or cognitive processes.
Why is discursive psychology considered a non-cognitive form of social psychology?
It focuses solely on public discourse and does not consider internal states like self-awareness, intentionality, or private thoughts unless they are invoked in social interaction.
What limitation arises from discursive psychology’s focus on observable linguistic behavior?
It has been criticised for adopting a narrow behavioristic approach by focusing only on language, not providing guidance on studying internalised thoughts or self-awareness.
What warning do Potter and Wetherell give about debates on mental states in discourse analysis?
They caution against debates about the reality of mental states, suggesting that discourse analysis should avoid “linguistic imperialism” that denies the significance of cognitive processes.
What is the role of accountability and stake in discursive psychology?
Discursive psychology emphasises that participants use interpretive repertoires and discursive devices strategically to manage interactions and pursue social objectives based on their stake in the conversation.
What is the role of accountability and stake in discursive psychology?
Discursive psychology emphasises that participants use interpretive repertoires and discursive devices strategically to manage interactions and pursue social objectives based on their stake in the conversation.
What limitation does discursive psychology face regarding motivation?
It cannot explain why individuals pursue certain discursive objects or stakes at particular times, or why they may avoid certain strategies, like apologising, despite potential benefits.
What limitation does discursive psychology face regarding motivation?
It cannot explain why individuals pursue certain discursive objects or stakes at particular times, or why they may avoid certain strategies, like apologising, despite potential benefits.
How do qualitative psychologists address the limitation of motivation in discursive psychology?
They combine discursive analysis with psychodynamic interrogation in a psychosocial approach to explore deeper psychological structures and emotional investments in discourse.
Why do some discourse analysts criticise the psychosocial approach?
Many discourse analysts are uncomfortable with using psychodynamic concepts and have reservations about combining discursive analysis with deeper psychological interpretations.
Why do some discourse analysts criticise the psychosocial approach?
Many discourse analysts are uncomfortable with using psychodynamic concepts and have reservations about combining discursive analysis with deeper psychological interpretations.
What is a key limitation of discursive psychology’s focus on text?
Discursive psychology often limits its analysis to the text itself, disregarding wider social and material contexts unless explicitly referenced by participants in their talk.
How has discursive psychology expanded its methods in recent years?
It has started incorporating video recordings to analyse gestures, gaze, physical orientation, and non-lexical vocalisations, adding more depth to conversation analysis.
What is an example of the importance of social context in interpreting discourse?
Understanding a suspect’s silence in a police interview may require knowing if the officer was holding a gun, illustrating the need to consider social and material context.
What kind of knowledge does discursive psychology aim to produce?
Discursive psychology focuses on how versions of reality are constructed and enacted in conversation, not the true nature of psychological phenomena like memory or prejudice.
What does discursive psychology study instead of psychological phenomena like mental states?
It studies how psychological phenomena are constituted in talk as social actions and the processes by which they are talked into being.
How is discursive psychology aligned with social constructionism?
It produces knowledge about how constructions are brought into being through interpretive repertoires and discursive devices in social contexts, without making claims about the nature of the world.
What assumptions does discursive psychology make about the world?
Discursive psychology views the world as shifting and negotiable, understood only through language, which is constructive and functional, with no final truth or fixed understanding.
How does discursive psychology view language in relation to the world?
Language is seen as both constructive and functional, and discursive psychologists focus on how various versions of the world are constructed in conversation for specific social actions.
What is the role of the researcher in discursive psychology?
The researcher is seen as an active author of the research, constructing findings through their analysis rather than acting as a neutral observer or discoverer of truths.
How does Billig describe the process of discursive analysis?
Billig notes that discursive analysis is never truly completed, and the final draft is more a product of deadlines or exhaustion, offering insights rather than definitive truths.
